Category 3 Burning Permit

Metro Vancouver Registration And Approval Fees

How to Apply for a Category 3 (Industrial land clearing or other major burning) Burning Permit

Step 1: You must FIRST obtain Open Burning Approval under Metro Vancouver’s Air Quality Management Bylaw No. 1082. Retain your registration number. You will not be able to apply for a Bowen Island Municipality burn permit without your Metro Vancouver registration number.

Step 2: Make your non-refundable payment to Bowen Island Municipality for your burn permit application and retain the receipt number. Payments can be made by cash, cheque or debit in person at municipal hall or by e-transfer to finance@bimbc.ca.

If you pay by e-transfer please also email finance@bimbc.ca requesting your receipt number. All e-transfers are processed next business day.

Step 3: Complete the form below to apply for your Category 3 Burning Permit. You will need your Metro Vancouver approval number, your burn registration number, and your Bowen Island Municipality receipt number to submit your application.

Step 4: Once the form has been received, we will send approval of your permit via email. Approval may take up to two business days.

Step 5: Call the fire department at 604-947-9324 to schedule a site inspection by the Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief.

Step 6. Notify your neighbors of your intent to burn and open burning location. Notification can be done by email, mail, phone, hand delivery, social media, or posting a notice on the property line at the nearest publicly accessible location to the planned open burning.

If you have any questions about burn permits please call the Bowen Island Fire Rescue non-emergency line on 604-947-9324.

By submitting this form, you acknowledge that you have read and understand the conditions of a Category 3 Burning Permit as follows:

Burning is permitted on Bowen Island from October 15 to April 15

Only burn when Metro Vancouver’s “Open Burning Advisory” indicates that burning is allowed. You must call 604-436-6777 to determine if open burning is allowed on each day that you plan to burn. This information is available daily after 8:30 am.

The permittee shall be responsible for fires authorized by the permit.

Category 3 burning permits are for piles larger than 2m high x 3m wide.
Piles must be: (a) at least 100 metres from any building that is a neighbouring residence or place of work; and (b) at least 500 metres from the nearest property line of a hospital, school, or community care facility.
Burning is only permitted on private property. No fires are to be located on Municipal property, public roads or road allowances.
No more than twelve burn days are permitted per year, with no more than six taking place in the same month.
No material other than wood, paper or cardboard shall be used to start, assist or enhance the burning.
The following material is PROHIBITED: tires, paint, manure, clothing, plastics, special waste, rubber, battery boxes, drywall, tar paper, asphalt, leather, demolition waste, treated lumber, fuel containers, domestic waste, railway ties, biomedical waste, and lubricant containers.
The materials to be burned shall have originated on the property for which the permit is issued.
Every effort should be made to have a hot fire, with emphasis on reducing the output of smoke as much as possible.
Do not burn more than 12 days or portions of days in a year and 6 days or portions of days in a month.

The permittee shall take the following precautions to prevent escape of fires authorized by the permit:

The permittee shall provide at the site during light-up and for actively patrolling and preventing escape of fires authorized by this permit at least one adult persons equipped with suitable hand tools to effectively safeguard the fires or equipment and an equipment operator. The required tools and equipment are at the discretion of the Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief.
Any additional special conditions will be indicated in your permits.

The permittee shall extinguish all fires completely on or before the expiry date of the permit; or shall extinguish them forthwith upon suspension or cancellation of the permit; or when instructed to do so by Bowen Island Fire Rescue.

On the day of the burn

Please complete the following steps:

Call 604-436-6777 before starting a burn to find out if Metro Vancouver’s ventilation index allows a burn to be started or continued.
Call the fire department 604-947-9324 and leave a message with your name, phone number and address and that you’re burning today.
Notify Metro Vancouver online or by calling 604-436-6777.
Complete and keep an Open Burning Record Sheet, so you can meet Metro Vancouver’s record keeping requirements.

Category 3 Burn Permit Application

Complete the information below and submit. You will not receive an automatic receipt when the form is submitted. Within 2 business days you will receive confirmation of your burning permit via email.

Name

First Last

Email(Required)

Phone(Required)

Address (location of burning)(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2

Expected date of burning(Required)

I declare that the burn piles will be more than 100 m from the closest neighbour's house and more than 500 m from a school boundary.(Required)

YES

Metro Vancouver requires that open burning must be: (a) at least 100 metres from any building that is a neighbouring residence or place of work; and (b) at least 500 metres from the nearest property line of a hospital, school, or community care facility.

Metro Vancouver approval number (GVU-)(Required)

BIM Proof of Payment (receipt number)(Required)

The personal information that you provide on this form is being collected under section 26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The information collected will only be available to Fire Department staff for the purposes of carrying out their duties. The information will be deleted after one year.